The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for combining a plurality of images to form one combined image, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for forming a combined image by using an image formed by clipping, from a plurality of images including the same person, parts of a face and a body of the person and combining the parts.
In recent years, there have been devised various methods and systems for extracting, using image analyzing methods such as face extraction and calculation of image feature amounts, images required by a user out of an image group including images and the like photographed by the user, to thereby arrange and edit the images using the extracted images.
For example, JP 2005-174308 A discloses a digital media arranging method and a digital media arranging apparatus for arranging a plurality of digital images by grouping the digital images for each of subjects. JP 2005-174308 A describes that it is possible to arrange a large number of photographs in a short period of time on the basis of persons in the photographs by applying face recognition processing to the digital images, determining similarity of faces in the digital images, and classifying, on the basis of a result of the determination, the digital images in folders created for each of the persons.
JP 10-124655 A discloses a digital album creating apparatus for retrieving images by using characteristics of subjects as an index. JP 10-124655 A describes that characteristics of persons as subjects such as colors of faces of the persons, presence or absence of makeup, colors of clothes, and presence or absence of glasses are extracted from images, those kinds of information are set as indexes, and images are retrieved on the basis of the indexes.
JP 2004-289706 A discloses an image processing method and an image processing apparatus for automatically forming images processed to be specialized for specific subjects in images. JP 2004-289706 A describes that a face of a specific subject person designated by a user is set as a key subject, face distinction is applied to images, and, if there is present a face matching the key subject, editing such as trimming and expansion and reduction processing is performed so as to arrange the subject in centers of the images.
As described above, with the methods disclosed in JP 2005-174308 A and JP 10-124655 A, it is possible to classify a large number of images and retrieves images on the basis of results of the face recognition and the other image analyzing methods. Further, as described in JP 2004-289706 A, it is also possible to set a specific subject and edit images according to the subject.
Such a conventional image editing method for performing layout of images using face extraction, as disclosed in JP 2004-289706 A, is, in general, a method for the purpose of performing editing such as trimming and arrangement of images to prevent faces, bodies and the like of subjects from being cut and to arrange a main subject (person) in the centers of images.
However, in such a case as described above, an image with poor composition, an image not including parts of a face and a body, and the like cannot be effectively used. Accordingly, an image having monotonous feeling as a whole is obtained.